Bag slitter



F. J. VOGEL Nov. 27, 1951 BAG SLITTER Filed May 5, 1947 A m w W.

Patented Nov. 27 1951 UNITED STATES!" PATENT orrice Frank J. Vogel, Kansas City, Mo.

Application May 5, 1947, Serial No. 746,122

2 Claims.

.1 I This invention relates provements in a bag slitter, and has particular reference to a bag slitter whereby bags may be quickly and efficiently opened to permit dumping of the contents thereof into a hopper, mixer, or

other container.

The principal object of this invention is the provision of means for supporting an upwardly extending serrated blade over the mouth of a hopper, mixer, or other container, whereby when a bag is lowered or dropped onto said blade said bag will be slit thereby to dump its contents into said hopper.

Another object is the provision, in a device of the character described, of a blade having a plurality of shearing edges disposed angularly to the surface of a bag placed on said blade.

Still another object is the provision, in a device of the character described, of a segmented blade having easily replaceable sections.

Other objects are simplicity and economy of construction, ease and convenience of operation, and adaptability for use on a wide variety of sacks and bags, and in conjunction with containers of many types and sizes.

With these objects in view, as well as other objects which will appear during the course of the specification, reference will now be had to the drawing, wherein- Figure 1 is a side elevation of a bag slitter embodying the present invention, shown in operative relationship to a hopper and to a bag of cement.

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the same.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged side elevation of the bag slitter.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary plan view of the parts shown in Figure 3.

Fig. 5 is a vertical section taken on line VV of Figure 3.

Like reference numerals apply to similar parts throughout the several views, and the numeral applies to a body member made of a substantially straight piece of angle iron and having a normally vertical portion I2 and a normally horizontal portion M. The end portions l6 of said horizontal portion are spaced equally inwardly from the ends of said vertical portion, and are bent downwardly and securely attached by any suitable means such as bolts It to a pair of parallel angle-iron support bars extending transversely to body member [0. As clearly shown in Figure 3, each of said angle-iron support bars is disposed with the angle between its sides pointing upwardly, said sides extending to new and useful im- I downwardly and divergently. Said support rods are sufficiently long and suitably shaped that they may rest across the mouth of a hopper 22, cement mixer, or other container. Said bars need not necessarily be straight, but may be shaped to conform to the container with which the slitter is being used. For example, should the mouth of hopper 22 be tilted, the ends of said bars could be offset upwardly or downwardly to maintain body member [0 in a horizontal position.

A plurality of blade sections 24 are removably secured to vertical portion l2 of body member 10 in spaced relation therealong by any suitable means such as by bolts 26. Each of said blade sections has an upwardly extending point 28, and angularly disposed cutting edges 30 extending downwardly therefrom. The edge portions of said blade sections overlap, so that in conjunction they present a continuous serrated cutting edge extending the entire length of body member Ill.

The operation of the bag slitter is substantially as follows: Supporting bars 20 are placed across the mouth of hopper 22 or other container, thus supporting body member ID across said mouth intermediate its sides. The operator then grasps a bag 32 of cement or other material, and lowers or drops the bag on blades 24 as shown in Figure 2. The sharp points 28 of said blades pierce the bag, and the shearing edges 30 slit the bag. When the blades have penetrated into the bag sufliciently that the slits produced by the individual blades 24 are joined, the bag is opened along the entire length of body member ID. The end portions of the bag are supported by bars 20, and are thus prevented from accidentally falling into the hopper.

The operator then grasps the bag at its opposite ends and lifts. The bag, being slit across its lower side intermediate its ends, will open at that point, allowing the contents thereof to fall through said slit into hopper 22, passing between and around support bars 20. Since said bars are angle-iron and the sides thereof converge upwardly as described, they present no horizontal surfaces which could collect material dumped from the bag.

The bag slitter is intended for use chiefly in opening paper bags of the type ordinarily used for cement and flour. However, it is apparent that it could be used to open cloth, burlap, and other types of bags as well. Whenever one of the blades 24 is broken or becomes worn, it may be replaced by removing the bolts 26 securing it to ing a new blade, and replacing bolts 26.

It is apparent that many minor changes in the blade structure and mounting could be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, and it is therefore desired to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. A bag slitter comprising an elongated body member; a cutting' blade fixed to saidi -body memher, said cutting bl'ade' comprising aplurality of unit sections disposed along and removably fixed to said body member, each of said unit sections having a pointed triangular cutting blade'=overlapping the adjacent blade sections to form a 1 continuous serrated cutting edgebiiteiiding the length of said body member, andim'eans-for-tsupporting said body member over the mouth of a hopper or the like.

2. In a device of the-character described, an

elongated cutting blade comprising -a--'series of overla'ppin'g -substantially tria'ngula r plan'ar poiiited blade sections, =-each 'alternating blade section bein coplanar and each of said blade sections being sharpened to present a cutting edge at the surface abutting against the adjacent blade sections, thereby producing a continuous serrated cutting edge extending the length of said blade.

FRANK J. VOGEL.

REFERENCES CITED l heifollowing references are 50f -reco'rd in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS :Number Name Date l08,80l Llewellyn Nov. 1, 1870 "683,299 Kronheim Sept. 24, 1901 l', 1- 73,3 83 Riker Nov. 6, 1923 117711797 "Lewis July 29, 1930 137752226 Rich Sept. 9, 1930 1,824,937 Trouth .f Sept. 29, 1931 2,094,818 x-Rich et.= a1. Oct-15,2193? :2,=l57 ,04 1 Wagner. May .4939 2,259,775 :Perkins Get. .21, 1941 

